“So, how far from the airport…”
“We have to grab a charter flight to the Big Island. This is only Honolulu.” At his blank look, she smiled tightly, “Oahu. Where Pearl Harbor is?” When he nodded, she continued, “My family lives on the Big Island – Hawai’i.”
“Okay. So, I didn’t have Jessica grab us a charter flight…”
“Don’t worry about it. Unless things have really changed around here, we shouldn’t have any problem catching a flight.”
“Does anyone know you’re coming besides your mother?” Kai asked, the look on his face warning Becca that he would only take half answers for so long.
Becca gave him a rueful glance, “I’m not even sure I agreed to come home before passing out. I should probably call her, but I know she’s got a lot on her plate right now.” And I don’t know if I could handle it if she’d changed her mind and didn’t really want me here. Better to just show up, and then deal with whatever outcome there was.
The pilot turned off the fasten seatbelt sign and Becca felt her anxiety go up another notch. Breathe in, Becca. You can do this. One. Two. Three. Breathe out. Good girl. She could almost envision Gracie standing over her and counting as she went through the breathing exercises that had seen her through more than one panic attack. She opened her eyes, and tried to see the island as any other tourist would.
Hawaii was a place that people came to make beautiful memories. Until that fateful day four and a half years ago, she’d thought it was an idyllic place to grow up. Her parents owned a small upscale beach resort in Opihikao. It was more like an over-achieving bed and breakfast, and as far as she knew, her parents had still been running it upon her father’s death.
Becca scooted to the aisle when it was her row’s turn to disembark, and felt a small measure of thankfulness when Kaillar stepped back and waited for her to precede him from the plane. She nodded her thanks to the stewardess, and then stepped off the plane, immediately feeling a wave of homesickness as she breathed in the humid air that was like no other.
Fragrant flowers coated the air in a way only found on the islands, and the Hawaiian shirt clad greeter smiled broadly as she lifted a flower lei over Becca’s head. “Aloha!”
“Mahalo,” Becca offered softly in return, the syllables rolling off her tongue as if she’d not kept them locked away for years.
With her strawberry blonde hair and pale green eyes, she looked like any other tourist come to the islands for a bit of culture, some sand, and the chance to see a live volcano erupting. But Becca considered herself as much of a Hawaiian as the dark-skinned, dark-haired young men and women who could trace their Hawaiian heritage back for generations.
Becca’s mother had come to the islands as a young adult, fresh out of high school. She’d fallen in love with a surfer, skipped returning home for the fall school semester to watch him train, and then compete during the winter months on the islands. An orphan, she didn’t have any family to answer to, only herself.
When spring had arrived, the surfers had headed south and she’d been left behind. Four months pregnant with a baby on the way. A baby the father adamantly denied was his.
Her mother, Stacie, had refused to chase after him and had refused to name him on Becca’s birth certificate. To this day, she didn’t know who her biological father was, and had accepted that the secret would go to the grave with her mother. According to her, the man was already dead, and naming him now would serve no good purpose.
Becca had accepted that, and until tragedy had struck their family four years earlier, she’d never wanted to call anyone but the man who’d raised her – dad. She still didn’t now, but words spoken from the midst of a broken and hurting heart couldn’t be taken back, and she’d allowed them to fester now for four years.
She stepped further into the airport terminal, her mind continuing to think too hard about things she couldn’t change. About the man she had lovingly called father all of her life. Makoa Kahoalani.
Three months after Becca was born, her mother had met the man when she took a job as a housekeeper at his family’s resort. The two had fallen in love and when Becca was only six months old, they had been married in a traditional Hawaiian ceremony out behind the resort on the green grasses overlooking the ocean.
Her parents had been so happy, and she’d grown up knowing that she was loved. She and her brother…
Becca took a short breath, the pain of remembering making it almost impossible to face what she knew was going to be the hardest time in her life. She’d tried to mend her broken heart while living in Colorado, and it seemed that every time she thought she could see the light at the end of the tunnel, a new tragedy appeared in her life.
She’d been well on her way to healing before the attack in Colorado. Now, here she was, heading home to the place where all of her troubles had begun, to face yet another tragedy. And she was scared. Scared she wouldn’t be able to handle the memories. Scared she’d run again. Scared she wouldn’t recover this time.
Hearing Kaillar speaking to the greeter behind her, she turned and pasted a smile on her face that didn’t even come close to reaching her eyes. She was in Oahu, and now she needed to face her past and find them a transport to the Big Island. So far, things had gone smoothly, but Becca was too pessimistic to imagine they would continue to be so.
This trip could very well destroy me. Again!
Chapter 4
Kaillar watched as Becca looked back at him, seeing the strain around her mouth, even though she was trying to smile for his benefit. He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her that everything was going to be all right, but he didn’t even know what everything was.
He’d tried to get her talking about her childhood, and she’d given him some facts, but nothing that would help him understood why she’d fled to the mainland to begin with.
Every time he even got close to asking a personal question, she’d changed the subject. He’d finally given up, and allowed himself to close his eyes and sleep. He’d hoped that she would do the same, but looking at the bruising beneath her eyes, he would guess that she hadn’t slept for more than an hour since leaving Colorado the morning before.
“So, do we need to grab our luggage?” Kaillar asked, joining her, the flower lei around his neck almost overpowering, the fragrance was so strong.
“Luggage is downstairs. And yes, we do need to grab it.” They hadn’t brought much with them, this trip coming up suddenly and without notice. Becca had been able to pack hurriedly, but Kaillar only had a few changes of clothes with him, and his travelling toiletry bag. He’d assured her that he could purchase anything he needed once they reached their destination, and she hadn’t argued with him. Because he was right.
The islands offered a plethora of shopping venues, and the Big Island was no different. Home to Kilauea, it was a popular destination for tourists wanting the complete Hawaiian experience. The volcano had been erupting in one form or another ever since Becca could remember.
When it wasn’t spewing forth molten lava and steam, slow moving lava tubes were creeping across the surface of the island, consuming anything in their path. A recent event had a small tube gradually moving towards Opihikao. So far, no homes had been destroyed, but Mother Nature and the volcano herself wouldn’t be stopped before they were ready. If things continued to move in the same direction, her family’s resort would barely make it to ring in the New Year before becoming yet another victim of the volcano.
She led him towards the escalators that would take them to the ground level and baggage claim areas. It would also give her an opportunity to see who had a charter flight heading back to the Big Island.
“Becca?” an incredulous voice grabbed her attention, making her swing her head around to confront a very rotund face from her past.
“Kalino?” Of all the people she’d expected to see at the airport, her brother’s best friend wasn’t even on the long list.
“Aloha! W
hat are you doing here? The last time I spoke to your father…” The man broke off seeing the sadness on her face. “Oh no! What happened?”
Becca swallowed painfully, and then whispered, “He’s dead.”
Kalino watched her for a moment, glancing at her companion, before turning to her with a raised brow, “Did you speak to him before…”
She shook her head, wanting him to let the matter go. “My mother called…”
“When is the funeral? I would like to attend.”
Becca’s head was reeling, but Kalino’s words registered, and she nodded. “He would have liked that. I believe it’s tomorrow. We just arrived from the mainland, and I need to find us a ride.”
“Done! I don’t have any other fares scheduled for today or tomorrow. I was going to head to Maui, and get some practice rides in before the competition starts next weekend.”
“Competition?” Kaillar asked, stepping in behind Becca and wondering who this man talking with them was.
“Surfing. Kalino is one of the best.” Becca looked between the two men, wondering what was going through Kaillar’s head. She was hoping she wouldn’t have to explain her comment or how she knew it to be true. She might have left Hawaii, but she’d secretly followed Kalino’s career as a world class surfer, and she only hoped he turned out better than Dagan had. Fame and popularity could be anyone’s downfall, and having scores of scantily clad women throwing themselves at you all the time, telling you how wonderful they think you are, was enough to make even the strongest man of integrity think with his ego instead of his mind and heart.
She would be heartsick if that ever happened to Kalino, and part of her was silently rejoicing at the evidence in front of her to the contrary. Kalino was barely nineteen, and other than growing in stature and the deepening of his voice, he seemed much the same as before. Before he’d lost his best friend and her world had come crashing down about her ears. Kevin would have been the same. If only…
It was as if Kalino had picked up her train of thought. He searched her eyes for a moment before turning to Kaillar and shaking his head. “No. A close second. Kevin was the best,” he murmured to her softly.
Becca looked at him sadly and shook her head, “Please. Don’t go there. This is hard enough.”
Kalino sighed in frustration, “You leaving was hard.” Becca merely shrugged, as if her agreement mattered not. “Look, why don’t you all grab your luggage and meet me at the charter desk in half an hour? I’ll go file a new flight plan, and we’ll head out right after that.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.” He looked at her companion, and Becca realized she’d yet to make any introductions.
“Sorry,” she mumbled to both men. “Kalino, this is Kaillar Donnelly. Kai, this is Kalino. He was a friend of my brother’s.”
Kalino gave her a strange look, which she ignored. He’d been more like a brother to her growing up, and something told her he could be again, if she could just get past her own guilt.
“Nice to meet you.” Kaillar shook his hand, and then placed a gentle hand on her lower back, “We really appreciate your offer of a ride. This has been hard on her, and anything you can do to make things easier is welcome and appreciated.”
“A`ole pilikia. See you both soon.” Kalino strode off, and Becca released a breath she hadn’t even known she was holding. She’d known that she would see people from her past, but seeing he brother’s best friend right off the bat had been more than merely hard. Guess you no longer have to wonder if seeing people you once knew was going to send you running off.
Becca glanced at Kaillar, and then interpreted for him, “He just told us not to worry, and that’s all.”
Kaillar nodded his head, and then directed her with light pressure on her back towards the sign indicating the baggage claim was still ahead of them. They had to navigate several large groups of people who seemed to be enthralled with the airport, wanting to document their arrival in Hawaii with photos from every angle.
Becca wished that she could tell them they needed to step outside if they truly wanted to experience their first moment in Hawaii, but then again, that would require interacting with strangers. Something she rarely did unless forced to.
“So, I didn’t know you have a brother,” Kaillar offered once they were moving toward the baggage claim again.
Becca nodded once, “Yeah. I did have a brother.”
“Had? What happened?” he wondered aloud.
“He died. Can we change the subject?” she asked through tightly clenched lips.
“Sure.” Kaillar watched her for a moment, knowing that whatever she was hiding more than likely wasn’t going to stay hidden while she was here. How could it? The past always had a way of catching up with you and forcing you to deal with it. The only question that remained was whether you would choose the how and when, or find yourself being thrown into the chaos, struggling to find an anchor to hold on to.
Kaillar hoped for Becca’s sake that she took control of the situation and dealt with her past on her terms when she was ready and strong enough to deal with them. When she was strong enough to handle whatever the past might entail. Whatever the case may be, Kaillar mentally promised her to stay by her side and provide whatever support she needed in the coming days. It was what he wanted to do. Help her.
Chapter 5
He was prevented from thinking more about the subject as the baggage carousel starting moving and their bags appeared a few moments later. “Now where do we go?”
Becca relaxed a bit, acknowledging that he was willing to stop his questioning for the moment. “This way.”
“So, how long of a flight is it over to the Big Island?”
“Not long. Kalino and his family operate a charter service, so their planes aren’t commercial grade nor do they carry many passengers. When I left, their largest plane could only carry up to ten passengers.”
“Must have been nice to know someone growing up who could shuttle you around to the various islands. Did you do that often?”
Becca nodded her head, “All the time. Kalino’s dad was always offering to let us kids tag along.”
“So which of the islands is your favorite?” Kaillar asked.
Becca smiled, “That’s easy. Molokai.” She smiled as she remembered the island’s many valleys and waterfalls. It was a beautiful island, the hillsides brilliant green as they rose up from the ocean’s floor.
“Maybe we’ll have time for you to show it to me before we go home?” Kai suggested, liking the smile that had flitted over her face for just a moment.
Becca nodded her head, “Maybe. That might be fun.” Molokai only held good memories for her, so a trip there would be most welcome.
They took the escalator back up, and she led them through the various shops hawking their souvenirs to the unsuspecting tourists who had waited too long to pick up that last memento of their time on the islands. They would pay almost double the cost for t-shirts, sweatshirts, and postcards, but they would smile while doing it, and everyone would be happy.
“Tourism is big here,” Kaillar commented, having noticed the plethora of shops himself.
Becca nodded, “Yeah, it doesn’t seem to have improved any while I was away. The Big Island is slightly better, unless you are in the larger areas of the city or the commercial beaches.”
“Commercial beaches?” Kaillar asked. He’d been to California a time or two, but the beaches there mostly belonged to the State of California and were managed like State Parks.
“There are quite a number of private beaches in Hawaii. It’s possible to not only purchase the dry land, but a large portion of the ocean front. In addition, you have different types of beaches here. There are the traditional white sand beaches, but also some gorgeous black sand ones as well.”
“Black sand beaches? Never heard of such a thing.” He directed them towards a small coffee shop, continuing their conversation while they wai
ted in line. “What makes the sand black?”
Becca smiled, “It’s not really sand, not like you would typically define it. Rather, its cooled lava that has been weathered by the waves until it has been broken down into small particles that cover up the beach. There are good things and bad things about those beaches.”
“What’s the good?”
“The black sand particles are larger, and don’t tend to stick to everything quite as readily.”
“That sounds like a good thing, although I don’t imagine building sand castles works well.”
Becca laughed softly, “Not at all, as a matter of fact.”
“What’s the bad?”
“The bad comes when you go into the water. The icy cold water. It tends to numb one’s feet up, so they don’t immediately realize their treading upon very sharp, very ragged cooled lava. The farther out one goes, the less weathered the ocean floor becomes. It’s like walking around on shards of broken glass.
“Most people don’t realize what’s happening to their bare feet until they return to the beach and as their body temperature returns to normal, so does their blood flow. They find themselves on the beach with stinging, hurting feet that are bloody and covered in small cuts and punctures.”
“Ouch! Why don’t they warn people?”
“Oh, they do. Most of those beaches have signs advising people to not enter the water without water shoes on their feet or dive socks in place. But tourists tend to think they know best and many of them don’t come prepared. The worst part is after they go back home to wherever they’re from.”
“How’s that?” Kaillar asked, giving the barista their orders and then paying for them before Becca could protest.
“The cooled lava provides a great breeding ground for coral and other microorganisms to hang out. If they don’t properly clean their cuts, they get back to the mainland with injuries that continue to get infected and won’t heal. Most of the bigger resorts and hotels have onsite medical stations to help educate and treat people who have injured themselves by not reading the warning signs.”
Kaillar (Three Brothers Lodge #3) Page 3
